It was 2:38 p.m. on August 21, 2017, when day turned to night. That was the precise moment in Greenville, South Carolina, when the moon, passing between the sun and Earth, fully blocked our view of the sun.
19.12.2023 - 00:51 / cntraveler.com
On the coast of the western Mexico state of Nayarit, the Pacific Ocean meets the Sierra Madre Occidental Mountains. The lush, sand-cushioned shoreline, dependably blue skies, and warm weather offer an ideal—and idyllic—winter pause. Perfect for swimming, surfing, humpback whale watching, and multihued sunsets, the lush and hilly peninsula of Punta de Mita (also called Punta Mita) is home to a slew of luxury resorts, private real estate, and white sand beaches. Its close proximity to many other coastal spots on the Riviera Nayarit means there’s plenty to explore.
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Wherever you plan to base yourself on the Riviera Nayarit, fly into the Puerto Vallarta International Airport in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Spend an hour or two—and perhaps a meal—in Puerto Vallarta, then take the scenic route north. A 45-minute drive takes you to Punta Mita; from there, the beach and surf town of Sayulita is about 20 minutes away, and a can’t-miss beachfront sunset at the nearby beach town of San Francisco—better known as San Pancho—lies 15 minutes further north.
Whale-watching season in the Riviera Nayarit runs from late December to early March.
For both the best weather and prime winter surf conditions, plan your trip to land sometime between November and April. (Summers can be rainy and extremely humid; hurricane season stretches from June to November.) Should you want to plan your time on the Riviera Nayarit around whale-watching season—the turquoise waters of the Bahía de Banderas, the largest bay in Mexico, have long been a breeding ground for humpback whales—narrow that timeframe to late December through early March.
With consistently warm temperatures, crystalline water and sunny skies, the powdered sand beaches that fringe the coastline are a main attraction. Many of the resorts have access to their own private and very beautiful beaches. Surfers have long been drawn to the Riviera, though there’s plenty else to occupy your coastal time from sailing, snorkeling, kayaking, paddle boarding, kitesurfing, and, of course, relaxing on the shore. Join local surfers at La Lancha, a public beach reachable by a short jungle hike or boat ride and one of the best spots in Punta Mita for a consistent break. If you’re looking for conditions better suited to beginner surfers, Playa Punta Mita tends towards smaller waves and shallow water and Playa Careyeros is ideal for swimming. Or head up the coast to Sayulita’s Playa Los Muertos or San Pancho’s Playa San Pancho. Also, in San Pancho opt for a day pass at the Tierra Tropical Beach Club.
Plan in advance to take an
It was 2:38 p.m. on August 21, 2017, when day turned to night. That was the precise moment in Greenville, South Carolina, when the moon, passing between the sun and Earth, fully blocked our view of the sun.
Mexico is known for its beautiful beaches, bustling cities, colorful towns, and delicious food. When a country has so much to offer, deciding the best time to visit Mexico can be difficult. The truth is that figuring out when to visit Mexico depends on what type of holiday you’re looking to enjoy.
There’s plenty of evidence that 2024 will be a watershed year for luxury travel.
In the embrace of Baja California Sur's unique landscape, where the serene desert meets the rhythmic tides of the Sea of Cortez, Auberge Resorts Collection announces a grand revival of Los Cabos' quintessential luxury retreat, Esperanza. Today, the resort proudly reopens the doors to its Forbes Five Star award-winning spa, heralding a new epoch of holistic and cultural wellness. This sanctuary, renowned for its bespoke pampering and serenity, now offers guests an even more transformative experience, harmoniously blending the spa's refreshed look with immersive journeys deeply rooted in indigenous Mexican healing traditions. With a philosophy inspired by the ancient medicine wheel, the spa's reimagined environment beckons guests to partake in spiritually guided treatments within an atmosphere that has been meticulously refreshed, designed to usher in a journey of holistic restoration and elevated serenity.
It’s no surprise that Mexico continues to be one of the top-selling international destinations for U.S. travelers. It’s one of the top 10 most-visited countries in the world, according to the World Tourism Organization, and the U.S. accounts for a majority of its international arrivals.
Architectural Digest released its top 10 “emerging luxury cities” in October. Its criteria — activities, properties, dining, annual income, diversity, and safety — are all geared toward residents. But what do these cities hold for visitors seeking an exceptional vacation?
If you're flying anywhere this holiday season, it's a good bet you'll spend some extra "bonus dwell time" in an airport terminal. Or three.
Another year has come and gone, and boy was this was a busy one for airline network planners across the country and around the world.
It is often said that the world is a great book, and those that do not travel only read one page. What if you read books as well as travel? You would be quite the literary sort, indeed. Here at Condé Nast Traveler, our journeys take us to places near and far, and we don't always have other humans along for the ride with us—but books are good friends to keep in our suitcases for company.
Wellness used to be as one-dimensional as a spin class and a smoothie. Diet and exercise are of course still fundamental, but we’ve finally started to embrace a more holistic approach to achieving better health. This means focusing on long neglected areas like a solid sex life, socializing, rest and recovery, and emotional and mental wellbeing. Feeling good now trumps looking good and healthspan—the quality of our years—has become just as important as lifespan. Longevity, the concept of living a longer and healthier life, will be the biggest buzzword of 2024, with wellness clinics as well as sybaritic beach retreats offering the latest biohacks (cryotherapy, infrared light treatments, poolside vitamin IV drips) to optimize our performance. Tantra gurus and sex therapists will be the new must-have in-house expert and artificial-intelligence empowered smart beds are fast becoming an expected amenity.
The Yucatan peninsula has welcomed the first part of a new tourist train that's being constructed to connect the region’s many resorts and archeological sites.Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador attended opening ceremonies on Friday for what will ultimately be a 950-mile train line, which has been named the Maya Train. The $20 billion project is expected to be complete by February, according to a report from Associated Press. Once finished, the train will operate a rough loop around the Yucatan peninsula.The rail segment opened right now runs between the colonial Gulf coast city of Campeche and the popular tourist destination of Cancun. It's a stretch of train line that amounts to about one-third of the entire project.The train journey between Campeche and Cancun will take about 5 1/2 hours. The train will travel at an average speed of 50 miles per hour, Associated Press reported.
What started over 500 years ago as a lookout post on the top of a tall hill is now Villa Ardore, a luxury rental villa in the heart of Chiantishire, the Chianti wine region of Tuscany.